In two starts for Double-A Springfield, it's been a mixed bag for St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Cooper Hjerpe. He gave up five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in his first Double-A outing on June 12 but rebounded with a great start on June 20. He fired five no-hit innings with a walk and six strikeouts to earn the win. The Cardinals No. 6 prospect has a good fastball-slider combination with a plus changeup. The left-hander out of Oregon State has very high upside and could be a future rotation staple for the Cardinals. Right now, though, he is adjusting to a new level at Double-A. The 23-year-old's latest start is a positive sign that he is on the right track after shaking off a poor Double-A debut.

The Washington Nationals have demoted third base prospect Trey Lipscomb to Triple-A Rochester. Lipscomb got some run earlier in the year, but gone up and down from the farm since. Lipscomb struggled in his recent call-up by having one hit over 11 at-bats. With no clear spot, it makes sense for Lipscomb to continue to get playing time on a regular basis. At 24-years-old, Lipscomb has likely reached his ceiling and is more useful for the Nationals then dynasty leagues. He can safely remain on the wire for now. Replacing Lipscomb will be veteran first baseman Harold Ramirez, who can also remain on the waiver wire.

Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Billy Cook homered and drove in four runs on Sunday for Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles' No. 30 prospect is putting together a very productive month with six homers and 20 RBI in June while hitting .291. In 53 games with Norfolk this season, Cook is hitting .284 with eight homers and 34 RBI to go with nine stolen bases. Cook has plus speed and can be a contributor in the steals category. In a loaded Orioles farm system, Cook is not one of the premium prospects. He has shown that he can produce, however, on a loaded Tides roster. It might be hard for him to earn a promotion this year, but his June is helping him build a case.

The Texas Rangers are set to promote pitching prospect Winston Santos to Double-A Frisco. Santos, 22, is the club's No. 15 prospect per MLB Pipeline and he has been pitching very well for High-A Hickory. Over his first 12 starts this season, the right-hander had compiled a 6-3 record to go along with a cool 2.80 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings. It is a deserved promotion as Santos' second go-around in the High-A has proven to be a much more successful one than last season. When signed out of Dominican Republic in 2019, Santos was throwing his fastball from around 92-95 MPH and has since reached up to 98 MPH. As Santos continues to develop, he has become one of the Rangers top pitching prospects. He is likely a few seasons away from the big leagues, but he is worth keeping an eye in dynasty leagues.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward homered in Monday's 5-1 win over the Oakland Athletics, his first dinger since June 11. Ward, who scored twice and walked in four plate appearances, has pulled down his fantasy managers in June, slashing .148/.303/.295 with six RBI and nine runs scored. The slump has taken his numbers for the season to .241/.326/.431 with 13 homers, 40 RBI, and 37 runs scored. Ward's power potential keeps him in the good graces of fantasy managers, who hope his home run on Monday is a sign his swing is trending upward. Since he remains on a near-30 home run pace and is also a potential trade candidate, Ward is a good fantasy option in most leagues.